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Missile firing not expected to impact regional situation: report

ROC Central News Agency

2016/07/04 16:16:31

Taipei, July 4 (CNA) The July 1 accidental firing of a missile by the Navy is not expected to impact the situation in the region, but China has used the opportunity to put pressure on Taiwan, according to the National Security Bureau.

In a report submitted to the Legislature's Foreign and National Defense Committee ahead of a session scheduled for Monday, the bureau said that the incident in which a Hsiung Feng III anti-ship missile was fired mistakenly from a naval vessel in southern Taiwan was widely covered in the international media.

The missile traveled northwest and ripped through a Taiwanese fishing boat near the offshore county of Penghu in the Taiwan Strait, killing the boat's captain and leaving three others aboard injured.

There have been no official statements issued by other countries, which led to the bureau's conclusion that the incident is not expected to impact the regional situation.

The bureau also said the Chinese armed forces have not shown any unusual movements or reactions since the July 1 incident.

Media outlets controlled by the Chinese military did not report or comment on the incident, but other media reports and online commentaries in China described it as a move to spark tension across the Taiwan Strait, according to the bureau.

The government has notified China of the incident through the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) and the Straits Exchange Foundation, but has not received a direct response, and no media reports in China have mentioned the gesture, the bureau added.

Zhang Zhijun (張志軍), head of the Taiwan Affairs Office in Beijing, demanded an explanation from Taiwan when speaking to reporters July 1, and reiterated China's stance of maintaining cross-strait peace and stability on the foundation of the "1992 Consensus."

The bureau said Zhang's remarks and the Chinese media reports show that China is taking advantage of the event and pressuring Taiwan to accept the consensus, which was followed by the previous administration prior to May 20.

In another report submitted by the MAC to the legislative committee, the council said it has not observed any strong reaction from Chinese media, academics or in online commentaries after it explained what happened to the Chinese side.

The MAC said the incident shows the need to maintain effective communications between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, which have been suspended after Taiwan's new government took office May 20.

(By Claudia Liu, Chen Chia-lun and Kay Liu)
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